


Route Blue

by DancingTwix



Category: Doctor Who, Kagerou Project, Mekakucity Actors
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Crossover, Gen, Tenth Doctor Era
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-05-23 02:36:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6102017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DancingTwix/pseuds/DancingTwix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Engulfing a city, a summers dream endlessly repeats again and again, each time ending with a child crying out for it all to go back to the beginning. Maybe this time it will end differently?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“I can’t believe this is happening.” Donna grumbled in a very strained voice.

“Calm down, it’s alright” The Doctor leant over and whispered. “Everything’s under control.”

“Under control?!” Her voice rising slightly as she twisted round to give him an incredulous look. “We are tied up, on the floor, hostages for a terrorist attack!”

“Oi!” 

one of the terrorist group turned his attention, and the barrel of his gun, towards them. The other hostages on either side of The Doctor and Donna understandably scooted away, trying very hard to make it obvious that they didn’t know them.

“Got something to say have ya?” He stood above them wearing a mocking grin. 

“Nope, nothing.” The Doctor quickly chirped, before Donna bristling next to him could say anything. “Nothing at all. Zatta. Nill. Zilch. Nothing to declar-”

“Alright, alright” The terrorist growled with annoyance and walked off. “Just shut up already. Jeez.”

At this point Donna began to reflect how her life had gotten to the point that now being threatened by someone with a gun made her want to give someone a piece of her mind. She supposed it was something that happens when you travel with The Doctor. After all her adventures travelling through time and space it really puts it into perspective how being threatened at gun point really wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to you.

At the same time, she also decided that she was uncomfortable not just because she had her arms duct-taped together behind her, but her arse was also going numb. All this trouble just to investigate some ‘paradox-y stuff’ that was going on around this date; August 15. 

“If we stayed at that horrible hotel just for this.” She whispered quietly. “I’m going to kill you.”

The Doctor look very confused, and just a tad wounded. “I thought you liked the hotel. They have the little bottles of shampoo and everything.” He grinned and said happily almost to himself. “I like little bottles of shampoo.”

A commotion to the left drew their attention where a young man with black hair and a red jacket had suddenly gotten up. One of the terrorists, that same one who had just a second ago with a bad haircut had been threatening Donna and The Doctor, picked him up by his hair with ease and a cruel grin.

\---

Shintaro had made a mistake. He should’ve stayed down, should’ve stayed quiet. But the way that other guy had been treating this whole situation like some game and just acting so calm about it. And now he was being mocked by that stupid looking terrorist gang leader with an even stupider haircut.

Shintaro was scared, any second now could be his last, but he wasn’t scared for just his own sake but also for his family’s sake as well. If those terrorist got the ransom money and flew off they’d probably just drop the bombs over the city streets just because they could, and his mum and little sister could be killed. Shintaro gritted his teeth, swallowed his fear and opened his mouth.

“oi!” Said a voice that was definitely not his. “Let him go.”

Both Shintaro and the terrorist, who was still holding him by his hair, turned to look at the man who had called out. Dressed in a blue pin stripe suit and brown overcoat the man was still in mid scramble to get up from the floor, made even harder with his arms tied behind his back.

“What was that?” The terrorist scoffed with a cocky grin.

“I said.” The man in the suit finally got to his feet. “Let him go.”

The atmosphere was charged, an energy that hadn’t been there a second ago had now formed around them all. Through the tears forming Shintaros gaze darted from the man to the terrorist whose grip on his hair faulted for just a second. 

“He’s just a kid, he didn’t do anything.” The man continued, voice quick but clear and gaze steady as hell. “Just put him down and no one has to get hurt. We can talk this all out ju-”

“Big words for someone tied up and helpless.” The Terrorists’ smile looked a bit forced now. “I think that you need reminding who’s in control here.” Shintaro found himself gazing down the barrel of a gun.

“No!” The man shouted.

\---

Donna screamed. From their displays televisions, coffee makers, dvds and everything else came raining down with deafening crashes and bangs. Out of reflex she tugged hard at the bindings around her thumbs, wanting to cover up and shield herself from the shelving units tipping over of their own accord, and was pleasantly surprised to feel it snap.

“Doctor!” She shouted over the continuing ruckus whilst also scrambling out of the way from a sign swaying overhead. “Doctor!”

She shouted again. Frantically looking left and right she spotted him caught underneath a shelf of computer mice, bloody typical getting himself in trouble. 

“Doctor!” She shouted again, though this time with slightly more joy.

Then she saw them; two kids. One that young man who had been threatened running away, and a much younger girl with orange hair in a ponytail to the side charging off to her right. But what made Donnas blood turn cold was the terrorist aiming for the young man.

Swearing loudly Donna dived for him, wrapping her arms around the terrorist’s waist she tackled him to the ground. Her ears rang with the sound of a gunshot. Donna cried out in frustration. Her stomach sunk even lower when she looked up to see the young man sink to the floor as the shutter rose to blind her with the day’s sun.

Something caught her attention though, like little barbs sinking into it, making Donna turn her head to the right. There stood that girl with the ponytail just behind another with white hair and her eyes closed.

They said something but Donna was in too much shock to even register it. The white haired girl apologised when she opened her red eyes.

Donna felt her body stop.

\---

“Thank you ever so much for your help officer. This will be very useful in my investigation.” The Doctor strolled back out of the building and into the chaos outside.

Lights both red and blue spun atop police cars and ambulances. While the police in their smart black uniforms made efforts to keep the gathering crowd of curious onlookers at bay medical professionals had their hands full handing out blankets and cups of water to the poor hostages. Aside from a few cuts and bruises The Doctor was very glad no one was hurt.

“Anytime sir.” The policeman gave a polite nod. “Are you sure you don’t need anything else at all? Anything else I can do to help?”

“No thank you, you’ve done more than enough.” The Doctor said again, eager to lose the overly-eager policeman. “One of my associates will be here shortly to sort out everything else, good day.” He gave a cheery wave before leaving.

The Doctor found Donna sitting on the back step of one of the ambulances with a scratchy looking blanket draped over her shoulders, elbows on knees and chin in her hands. Standing slightly off to her right the Doctor gave a little wave. She didn’t react.

“Donna?” He said softly, kneeling down to meet her gaze.

“Hm?” Donna eyes momentarily focussed on him before settling back way off into the distance.

“You alright?”

Donna took a deep breath, her eyes focussed on him for a bit longer this time. “Yeah, I’m alright.” She lied.

“Y’know…you did save him.” The doctor watched her blink several times. “There was no blood at the scene.”

Donna blinked a few times and sat up. “But, the gun went off.” Her brows were furrowed in thought. “My ears are still ringing.”

“The bullet missed. You’re a hero Donna.” He grinned.

It was almost visible how the weight just rolled off of her mind. Donna sat up straight with a proud look on her face shining brightly to the world. 

“Well, I guess I am.” She nodded happily. “Donna Noble; Hero of the day.” She splayed out her hands upon the air for emphasis. “Do you think it’ll be in the newspaper? Maybe they’ll even give me a medal or something for my heroic act.”

“Well I’m afraid we can’t stay around long enough for your interview.” The Doctor stood up and pulled Donna up with him.

“Why not?”

“Because I’ve just seen the policeman from earlier coming towards us with who I think may just be the real detective. Come on Donna!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Donna go back to the Tardis

Donna moved side to side slightly with the trains movements. She rather liked Japans country side. Granted when they had first gotten on the train all there had been to see where the back ends of buildings and discarded bits of rubbish thrown onto the tracks.

_Kids, messy toe-rags whatever country you’re in_ she had thought with mild annoyance.

But now they were outside of the cities limits, the exact name of it escaped Donna and she couldn’t really be bothered to remember it either, leaving nothing but wide open fields moving calmly past interspersed by the occasional gathering of houses and quaint little stations that the train would stop at to let people off. Donna sighed and decided that Mum would’ve loved this.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

The Doctor asked from across the table which was littered with bits of circuit boards and pieces of wire pouring out of what may have been a gameboy colour at one point. He was still poking away at its innards with the Sonic Screwdriver. His tongue poking out the side of his mouth in deep concentration with his glasses on.

“Just thinking about bring Mum and Grandad here.” Donna said without much hope in her voice. “Mum would love the country side, and the fresh air would do Grandad some good.”

“It is a really nice country.” The Doctor continued to poke some wires into place. “Absolutely gorgeous food, oh! And there’s this wonderful little village near Lake Kawaguchiko with the most spectacular views of Mount Fuji. And I do mean spectacular, especially from the Onsen baths.” He rambled with the occasional vague hand gesture though kept most of his attention on whatever it was her was building.

“What baths?” Donna smiled with some befuddlement.

“Onsen baths.” The Doctor looked up at her for a second “They’re these outdoor baths that are heated up by the volcano, they’re really nice. We should visit sometime.”

Donna pursed her lips in thought. “Yeah, might as well. S’pose it might be nicer than Leisure Palace.”

The Doctor made an unintelligible noise and nodded slightly. Donna decided that maybe she shouldn’t have brought up that adventure as The Doctor still appeared to be rather antsy about the subject. Maybe one day he’d actually tell her what happened.

Donna shifted uncomfortably in the silence that followed and thought of changing the subject.

“What’s that you’re messing about with then?” she nodded towards the thing on the table.

“A tracking device, thing.” He gave the open device a few more blasts with the Sonic Screwdriver, bathing its circuitry in blue light. “Well, less tracking more detecting really. Should help us find the children from the terrorist attack earlier.” He explained as her started to pack everything into the pockets of his trench coat including the device. “Once I’ve grabbed some parts from parts from the TARDIS anyway.”

“Okay.” Donna raised a judging eyebrow. “Mind explaining why we’re looking for the kids?”

The Doctor returned the look with one of his own. “Don’t you remember earlier? When Momo Kisaragi and that white haired girl appeared and we all froze?”

“Who?”

To which the Doctor simply pointed to Donnas right. Turning to face the wall Donna came face to face with a full body poster of a young girl with orange hair in a side ponytail, wearing an equally orange frilly dress.

‘TEEN IDOL MOMO KISARAGI’ The poster loudly proclaimed in very big letter and then in slightly smaller letters ‘New single; Summertime Record. Out August 15th. Pre-order now!’.

“Oh” Donna turned back to him with a slow nod.

The Doctor nodded vigorously in a sarcastic manner.

“Should’ve gotten an autograph or something. Might’ve been worth something.”

“Donna, look at her eyes. What do you notice about them?” He pointed again to the poster.

“She’s wearing contacts.” Donna shrugged, not quite sure what he was getting at.

Why couldn’t he just get straight to the point instead of these silly games? Probably because he liked to feel smart.

“I thought so as well, but they were red as well earlier during the attack.” The Doctor explained with his elbows now resting on the clean table (clean for a train anyway). “That, and the girl with white hair had red eyes too when she made everyone freeze.”

“Wait, hold on.” Donna frowned and leant forward in her seat. “When she made everyone freeze?”

“Well Yeah, didn’t you notice? Muscles locked up and everything.” The Doctors eyebrows jumped momentarily. “Made even my hearts stop when I looked into her eyes.”

“It was just shock though wasn’t?”

“C’mon Donna.” The Doctor waved the suggestion away immediately. “You ‘n me? In shock? We’re not ones to freeze over a few guns and a hostage situation.”

“S’pose you’re right.” She leant back until another thought occurred. “Where’d they go afterwards though?” She frowned, realising she couldn’t actually remember seeing them go.

The Doctor frowned too. “There were others there too, three of them; one in a purple hoodie, one in a black coat and another in green overalls. Saw the CCTV footage when I was with the policeman.” He added as Donna opened her mouth. “They took the young man with them when they left.”

“Thought someone would’ve noticed them leaving.”

The Doctor took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yeah, especially as they were in full view the whole time. Even I didn’t notice them. Which suggest that maybe not all of them are as they seem.”

“Are you telling me.” A small smile creeped on Donnas face as she leant forward once again, “That there are aliens. Here, in Japan with super powers?”

The Doctor grinned as well. “And some pretty advanced technology. The systems they had at that shopping centre were top of the line and on full locked down, and they were cracked in barely a few seconds.”

“Donna and the Doctor, on another adventure.” Donna leant happily back into her seat.

Returning back to gazing out the window, head filling with ideas of what they might be facing this time, Donna left The Doctor to his own devices which mainly included looking around and fidgeting uncomfortably.

“Can’t this train go any faster?”

Donna sighed heavily. “No, it can’t.” It was like having to take care of a child sometimes.

“How on earth do you humans stand it? All this waiting around? Waiting for things to happen.” The Doctor patted the table as he complained. “Wish we could’ve brought the Tardis, would’ve been so-o-o-o much easier.”

“Well why didn’t we then!?” Donna exclaimed. “We wouldn’t have had to faff about with tickets and you and your screwdriver mucking up the ticket machine.” She clicked her tongue in annoyance.

Donna could still remember the look she got from that lady who worked at the station as the ticket machine had begun spitting out hundreds of tickets onto the floor.

“oi! It’s not my fault.” The Doctor looked almost offended. “The entire city is stuck in time loop. This was the closest she would let us land, plus there’s this weird energy or radiation or something everywhere.” He rolled his shoulders a few times with a face like he had just eaten an entire lemon, skin and all. “Can’t you feel it? Like a horrible tickle down you back or a horrible after taste at the back of your throat?”

“Yeah, right. Time loops and all.” Donna mumbled under her breath.

The Doctor had obviously heard her, but decided not to press the subject and instead pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil. It wasn’t that Donna didn’t trust The Doctor, after he had been doing this adventuring thing for longer than her, but sometime the way he tried to explain things came across as being immature. As if he were a big kid showing off this new bug he had caught to all the other smaller kids without actually letting them see it.

The Doctor pushed the piece of paper towards her. “Noughts and crosses?”

“Yeah, alright then.” She immediately went for the centre.

 

\---

 

Walking down the worn and crooked village road, at the end of which where it split into two stood a big blue police box, Donna could not stop laughing.

“No but honestly, how!” The Doctor almost had to shout through his own laughter just to be understood. “How did that child, a human child, beat me, winner of 3 dimensional noughts and crosses for five years running.”

“Your.” Donna wheezed before another bout of laughter took her. “Your face!”

This was it. The end. Donna Nobel, cause of death; the giggles.

“It’s not that funny Donna!” The Doctor shouted with a great big grin plastered on his face. Humans; fantastically brilliant creatures. “I went easy on her anyway.” He unlocked the Tardis as Donna struggled to compose herself.

“Seven times.” Donna managed to say after just as many tries and a snort.

After several deep breaths of the now cool summer evening air Donna managed to compose herself and went into the Tardis. She then exploded into another round of hysteric giggles.

“Well alright then, if you think it’s so funny why don’t you have a go!” He followed her in.

A camera snapped a photo. The Doctor immediately poked his head back out the door. With careful eyes he scanned the area. The road was dark and empty; no traffic at this time of night in such a small village a train ride away from the city, the only street lamps around were the very old bare bulb ones on wooden poles.  Seeing no-one about, save for a black cat with red eyes the doctor went back into the Tardis fully intent on beating Donna.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys thank you for reading this. Don't worry the chapters after this are going to be a bit longer and hopefully a bit more interesting for ya, just really had to start things off somehow.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a strange day at a normal theme park

Donna stood in a very odd place, or maybe she was sitting down in a regular place. She couldn’t quite tell. She looked up to the sky and saw the ground. The ground was then at her feet with the clouds. The Donna found herself in the Tardis.

“I must be dreaming.” She said to herself. Or maybe she hadn’t. “Or maybe I’m in the library.”

“You said that before.” A girl in school uniform sat on the sofa. She wore a red scarf.

“Maybe for you I did.” Donna replied. The Tardis stood silent with water around the console. “But for me it’s the first time, time travel is weird like that.”

“Or maybe you just forgot?” The girl replied with a hopeful smile. She was now standing at the door of the Tardis despite not moving.

The Tardis doors stood open showing off an unfinished construction site.

“I don’t think so.” Donna stood on one of the beams, looking down at the ground impossibly far below her. “I think I would remember you.”

“The others forgot me too; the Mekakushi Dan.” The girl also stood on one of the beams. “Have you met them yet? This time around I mean?”

Neither of them were bothered about the power cables buzzing in tangles around them. A wind that wasn’t there held the end of the girls red scarf aloft.

“No, not yet.” Donna replied, feeling a buzz in the back of her skull and the heat of summer gripping her chest tightly. “But I think I’m about to.”

The girl smiled, seemingly pleased with the news. “Say hello to them for me. Donna, wake up.”

\---

“Donna, wake up”  
Donna jolted awake and the noise of the theme park crashed down upon her. The day was stiflingly hot, children were screaming, parents were shouting at screaming children, her chair was unsteady and the other half of her sandwich (now sadly abandoned on the table) sat uncomfortably in her stomach. How the heck had she just fallen asleep?

“Yes?” She blinked several times and attempted to stretch out the crick in her neck with little success. 

“Hello you.” He sat across from her with that device in his hands. It really did look like an old Gameboy, but with a few loose wire poking out the sides. “Did you sleep alright last night?”

“Yeah I slept fine.” She nodded, the odd dream already forgotten. “Just dozed off is all. Must be this heat, guess they were right about global warming.” She picked up her empty cup and pondered as to whether she really wanted to pay another fortune for a drink.

“I’ll be right back.” Her chair scraped loudly against the stone paving as Donna stood up. “Just gonna grab another drink.”

Donna had only just handed over the money for a bottle of water, in her opinion it was quite frankly a rip off the amount these places charged, when she heard The Doctor call her name.

“What?” She replied, with a bit more force than she had intended, and turned around just in time to see the chair The Doctor had been in fall over. He was nowhere in sight. 

“Well, that’s just brilliant.”

Donna stood thinking for a moment before deciding that it was probably best if she went off to find him. Who knew what sort of trouble he would get himself into without her.

\---

The Doctor first turned to face one away and then, spinning on his heel, turned to face the other. All the while staring down at the Gameboy in his hands. There were several arrows on the screen pointing in different directions, though thankfully it seemed a few of them were in roughly the same place. The screen flickered and then promptly faded to blank.

“No, no, no, not again.” He tapped the Gameboy hard against his hand. “C’mon, c’mon.” He urged it to come back but sadly to no avail.

The Doctor huffed in annoyance, the radiation practically saturating the city made it difficult to pick up on anything else. The energy was similar to The Rift over Cardiff but due to the nature of the Time Loop encompassing it as well caused some very odd, and frustrating problems for The Doctor.

The TARDIS refusing to come any closer to the city was one of them, and the other was trying to find those odd energy signatures, it had taken the TARDIS ages just to try and sort them out from the rest of the background radiation. Even then it didn’t quite work anyway with the tracker he had made flickering in and out of life every ten minutes. That and he had a horrible after taste of pears sitting at the back of his throat.

Deciding to give up for now The Doctor tucked the device into his coat jacket and looked around at the attractions the theme park boasted. There was a roller coaster (though someone had recently thrown up if the ‘cleaning in progress’ sign was anything to go by), a few stalls where you could win a few prizes and a haunted house.   
Hadn’t the device been pointed in the same direction? The Doctor asked himself and rubbed his chin.

\---

The Doctor screamed at the zombies shuffling towards him and ran for his life with a big grin on his face. The haunted house was very well made, The Doctor made a mental note to the workers if he got the chance and commend them on their superb acting. He almost felt as if his life were really in danger. The only thing he could think of that would make this better would be if Donna were here as well.

Running into what seemed to be a hallway The Doctor stopped for a moment to catch his breath. He wasn’t really in danger and enjoyed the loud thuds of his heart pumping blood and adrenaline through his body. He then noticed the walls cover in little bits of paper like the shell of a piñata. He barely had a moment to ponder about it before hands began to snake out and reach towards him. This coupled with the dim lighting sent horrifying shivers down The Doctors spine.

Oh this haunted house was fantastic.

\---

Shintaro heard some guy scream somewhere behind him but barely paid it any thought, being much more pre-occupied with the scene before him.

“Huh!? Leader.” Momo looked down at Kido, lying unconscious on a pile of discarded fabric, with some concern. “Did I surprise I surprise her too much…?” Then noticing her older brother nearby in the gloom Momo perked up with surprise and said. “Oh Big Brother!! You came into the haunted house!? Even though you are a scaredy-cat.” She said the last bit slightly quieter.

“I can handle this much!” Shintaro snapped with indignation; he had heard what she had said. “More importantly what’s with your outfit?”

“Ah, this?” Momo pointed to the hatchet sticking out the top of her skull.

Alone the hatchet would’ve been slightly comical as a silly Halloween costume, most likely a discard prop, but of course Momo had decided to go all out applying liberal amounts of fake blood down her forehead and face. In the gloom of the haunted house it made for a very convincing affect.

From behind him Shintaro heard someone sprinting towards them. Unfortunately, he didn’t get much of a chance to turn around, or even get out of the way, before he felt some crash into him painfully and be sent sprawling onto the floor.

“Ouch.” Shintaro groaned through a face full of floor. Everything hurt.

“Oh dear, sorry about that.” The large mass atop Shintaro moved and then blissfully disappeared when the person had stood up. “You alright? Nothing broken? Come on, up you get.”

Shintaro was then somewhat surprised to find himself being picked up off the ground and placed on his feet. His knees were weak though and he could already feel himself starting to bruise, such were the joys of being a NEET.

“I’m fine thanks.” Shintaro waved off the strange man from brushing him down. “Just look where you’re going next time.”

The man bashfully tucked one hand in his coat pocket whilst the other ran through his messy brown hair.

“Yeah, well this haunted house is very well made.” His eyes bulged again when he caught sight of Momo and then did a double take of Kido still lying unconscious. “Cor blimey, what’s been going on ‘ere then.”

Before either Momo or Shintaro could say anything the man had already knelt down beside Kido and lifted up her chin slightly, whilst also putting on a pair of glasses from seemingly no-where in one swift motion.

“Hey!” Momo moved forward as well, probably just as suspicious of this new person as Shintaro was.

“It’s alright. I’m The Doctor.” The Doctor spoke without taking his eyes of Kido and he then lifted up one of her sleeves and took her pulse.

“Doctor…who exactly?” Shintaro glared at the back of The Doctors head.

“Just The Doctor.” He said, producing a small pencil shaped thing from his pockets. Opening Kidos eye lids he shone the blue light into one of them and then the other. “And your friend here should be perfectly fine when she wakes up, may have a bit of a headache though.” He put both the thing and his glasses away and stood back up. “And I think you may want to wipe all that fake blood off your face too. Don’t want her fainting again.” The Doctor then produced a handkerchief and threw it Momo.

As much as it annoyed him to Shintaro couldn’t help but sigh in relief when The Doctor had said that Kido would be fine. True to what the Doctor had said Shintaro could already see Kido starting to come to. Hopefully she’d be in a good enough condition though to use her power otherwise it may be difficult trying to get Momo out of here without being cornered by her many fans. As it was Shintaro was certain the only reason The Doctor wasn’t stuck staring at her was because of how dark it was.

“Hang on a second.”

Momo froze. Even in the dark with most of the fake blood now gone from her face it was hard for anyone not to see who she was.

“I know you.” The Doctor took a stride towards her and Momo shrank away. “You’re Momo Kisigari!”

Shintaro smiled; he always liked seeing his sister being cornered by fans clamouring for her attention. It always made him thankful that he rarely went outside.

“I’m…I’m sorry.” Momo stammered, hoping this guy wouldn’t be one of those Dads who just begged for her autograph or something for their kids. “I’m not doing autographs right now. T-though I’d be happy to give you one at one of my events.”

“No, no, no, I didn’t mean like that.” The Doctor swatted at the air. “I meant from the terrorist attack yesterday; you were there weren’t you?”

Shintaro’s smile disappeared. Considering the mekakushi dans involvement in the incident the fact this guy looked as if he were the sort to ask question made Shintaro slightly worried. The Doctor then turned to look at him also. 

“And you were as well actually, did a brilliant job on the security system in that place.” The Doctor grinned and sauntered about in a small circle. “Your friend was there too, though I don’t actually remember seeing her there which is very odd considering you lot were running about tearing the place down.” 

“What’s going on?” Kido sat up with a frown.

“Ah good, you’re awake.” The Doctor smiled, pointing between the siblings and Kido. “Told ya she’d be fine didn’t I?”

“Anyway.” The Doctor moved on and leant against the stacked up coffins. “You two have some pretty advanced tech and not just by Earth standards either.” He pointed at Momo and Kido. “Perception filters themselves produce their own separate signal, partially how they either draw or repel someone’s attention. But with you two, the signal is almost indistinguishable from yourselves.”

The three of them just stared at The Doctor in stunned silence. The Doctor simply directed a smug smile to each of them in turn in the silence that followed, disrupted only occasionally by the screams of other customer to the haunted house.

“We don’t have gadgets or anything if that’s what you’re asking.” Kido stood up and the Doctor raised a bemused eyebrow. “Whatever signals or whatever you’re picking up are just our powers.”

“Leader...” Momo said tentatively, but was silenced by Kido’s small nod.

Shintaro glared at the man, who now frowned with confusion, not trusting him one bit. Something about him sent a horrible chill down his spine as if he recognised the man in the trench coat, and not for a good reason either.

“Powers?” The Doctor then looked as if he was about to say something else, but then thought better of it.

Kido nodded. “We’ll talk about it later, after we get out of here.”

“Why not here?” The Doctor asked, almost sounding genuinely puzzled as to why a haunted house wouldn’t be the best place to talk about things.

At that moment another round of screams rang off somewhere within the haunted house prompting Kido to begin shaking like a new born deer caught in the headlights of a car.

"oh, yes, well, hm." The Doctor stood back up straight. "Well, I guess they made this house a little to well. Shall we be off? Actually I think my friend is waiting for me somewhere; didn't see her when I came in. Would it be alright if we made a quick stop after we get out of here so I can get her?"

Almost by instinct Both Momo and Shintaro looked to Kido, Shintaro already chastising himself for falling in line with the groups pecking order so quickly, who agreed whilst struggling to reapply her 'cool and collected' demeanour.

"Brilliant, can't wait for you guys to meet her, you are going to love Donna. " The Doctor then to go on about how amazing this Donna person was and some of the adventures the two had been on together.

Any other time Shintaro would've passed off such storied as those of a rambling lunatic. But considering he was now member No. 7 of the Mekakushi Dan Shintaro considered that maybe aliens like the Ood and fat walking off people weren't too bizzare. Hadn't there been that news article he glanced at about the whole 'fat walking off people' thing?

\---

The sun sat oppressively on the horizon and despite how late it was the summer heat was still relentless and made Donna think very fondly of the Air Conditioning waiting in her hotel room. She half-heartedly wondered if it was considered odd to return to a hotel after missing one of the nights you had booked it for?

She doubted the hotel staff really cared about it though. In fact she was fairly certain that, at least going by the look of the receptionist when The Doctor had handed her a card to pay for the rooms, she could do anything she very well pleased.

Taking another long slurp from her drink (the ice cubes had melted ages ago leaving it sadly lukewarm) Donna walked along with the group The Doctor had amassed as they laughed and chatted away. The Doctor always seemed to amass a group wherever he went, though as far as Donna knew never with people so much younger than him and yet he still seemed to fit in. 

Still just a child at heart, though with very old eyes.

“You shouldn’t ask a lady about her secrets, Shintaro.” Donna joined in on the teasing with a cheeky wink. “Might end up knowing more than you bargained for.” 

As Shintaro flustered feeling slightly embarrassed Donna and the other laughed their way down the pavement. Further up ahead though The Dotor seemed to be very engrossed in a conversation with Kido, the girl in the odd purple hoodie, and Kano, the boy who Donna was certain never stopped smiling.

“I wonder what they’re talking about.” Mary spoke into Seto’s shoulder, the poor thing having worn herself out completely at the amusement park.

“Ah, nothing you need to worry about Mary.” Seto repositioned her slightly on his back. “Probably just chatting about we should make for dinner considering we’ll have some extra mouths to feed tonight.”

“I vote pork.” Mary declared softly, to which Seto agreed.

Donna felt her heart melt with how sweet the pair were, almost like siblings.

“That person…” Momo stared with a frown to the other side of the street. “Isn’t he looking over here?”

The group came to uneasy halt, with the other three slightly ahead stopping just after, and stared over at the person on the other side of the road. They were dressed in all black with black hair and reminded Donna of a video game character.

“Is everything alright?” The Doctor also frowned at the person.

Momo wondered aloud as to whether the person could see them, to which Kido passed it off as being impossible with her ‘Concealing Eye’ ability in place.

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” The Doctor said softly, with teeth clenched and face cold. “Perception filters can be easily worked around, and I doubt yours is an exception.”  
The Stranger smiled. Malice was written on every inch of their face.

“RUN!” The Doctor Shouted.

“Konoha?” Donna jut about heared Ene called in shock from Shintaros phone.

A gunshot rang. Donna Jumped. The Doctor collapsed ahead of the group. Donna tried to shout his name and run towards him, but found herself stuck in place, silently urging his body to move with her eyes.

The person appeared behind Kano. Another gunshot rang. Kano slumped to the ground with a surprised expression. Blood trickled down his forehead. Kido screamed, running towards Kanos corpse. 

Seto bolted towards the person. Another gunshot rang. Seto fell to his knees. The person placed the barrel of the pistol into Setos mouth. Another gunshot rang.  
Donna kept staring ahead. Past the person, past Kido now slumped over Kanos. She stared at The Doctor. Why wasn’t he moving!?

Another Gunshot rang. Donna bolted, silently screaming at the Doctor. Someone else was screaming also but Donna didn’t care. Donna fell beside The Doctor. Something made of glass shattered behind her. 

She turned The Doctor over. His eyes were wide with pain and fear, he was alive, with his hands wrapped around his own neck trying to stop the flow of blood. Another gunshot rang.

“Doctor. What do I do?” Donna croaked, her throat tight with panic and hands already coated crimson. The Doctor gargled back and with one hand roughly tried to push her away.

“What do I Do!?” She shrieked. Another gunshot rang. 

She heard a footstep behind her, followed by another, and another, and another. Donna simply continued to stared The Doctor as he shook. A shadow that almost grinned stretched over them.

“Good thing I started packing more bullets.”

Donna felt her blood run cold. She could see the person reflected in The Doctors blue eyes as they stared behind her. Several clicks were followed by a playful clink of an empty cartridge landing next to her.

“Although it was fun the first time the pair of you arrived.”

Donna felt something being placed at the back of her skull.

“I crushed your windpipe, and I ripped your hearts out multiple times.”

Another gunshot rang.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another chance for the same day

Dona sat down at the table with her plate loaded up with some toast, beans, two eggs, and some bacon, of course, creating a lovely warm aroma. She always loved complimentary breakfasts for the simple fact that she got very tasty food without having to lift a finger, which suited Donna very well. Although the hotel sadly didn’t do hash browns as part of their ‘Western Breakfast’ option.

Munching her way through a mouthful of beans and egg Donna pondered as to the Doctors current where-abouts. After receiving no answer when she had banged on the door to his room this morning, maybe adding a shout or two, and having received no response Donna had assumed he had already woken up and had ambled off somewhere. Donna, being the very sensible person that she was, had decided that she would have to go find him, after breakfast of course as it was the most important meal of the day.

As she chewed her thoughts fell upon the unsettling dream she had had last night. Part of the reason why it had been so unsettling was due to how vivid it had been and how it sat in her mind more like a memory rather than a dream. Very soon Donna found herself simply staring into space deep in thought leaving the egg and beans on her fork to fall back onto her plate.

“ooh that looks good.” The Doctor meandered over to her with a purr. “Love me a complimentary breakfast. Could’ve gone for something a bit more adventurous mind though, but ah well.”

“Well, look what the cat dragged in.” Donna spoke through a mouthful of toast and jabbed her fork at him. “And what on earth have you got there?”

The Doctor fell heavily onto the creaky chair opposite and placed the device onto the table. It looked like a Gameboy but with a few more wires poking out of it.

“Just a very clever little device that I just made for the second time.” He looked down at it with his elbows on the table. “Maybe, one or two minor adjustments to try and make it a bit more accurate. But overall still the same as before.”

“What are you on about?” Donna was midway passing it off as another one of The Doctors strange ways of explain something, which meant not at all explaining it, but a little flag appeared in her mind. “Hang on.” Donna pointed at the device with her knife. “I’ve seen that thing before…I had a very strange dream about it last night; we got stuck in this terrorist attack in a shopping centre nearby.” 

She continued to eat her breakfast as she described her dream to him somewhat amazed at all the details she could remember from it. Hadn’t he heard something about the more vivid a person dreams are the more intelligent they were?

“But there was this one other thing though.” Donna scrunched up her nose in an effort to remember what she couldn’t. “I swear there was something that happened at the amusement when I fell asleep. Ah well, doesn’t matter really. It’ just a dream so.” She shrugged simply, but the Doctor stared at her with a serious gaze. “What?”

The Doctor stared at her intently. “Donna, what’s todays date?”

Donna frowned. “August 14th, why do you ask?”

“Donna, you do remember I said we were in a time loop?”

“Yeah, so?”

“That dream.” He took a very deep breath and momentarily averted his eyes. “It wasn’t a dream. All that stuff that happened; the terrorist attack, meeting the Mekakushi Dan and everything else. It all happened. Or is going to happen depending on where you’re standing.”

“You what?” She turned her attention back momentarily to her breakfast. “What are you on about?”

“We’re in a time loop Donna, think about it.” The Doctor nicked a piece of toast from her plate, to which Donna objected, before he continued with his mouth full. “Think of like a wheel; we keep going round and around, the same days, the same events over and over. Endlessly repeating.” He stuffed the last remaining bit of toast into his mouth. “That’s what a Time Loop is Donna; a point in time that is constantly repeating.”

Donna sat very quietly in her seat as she processed what she had just been told. Cutlery scraped on plates and the other hotel guests chatted away to themselves over todays plans around her. The Doctor nicked the remaining bit of egg on her plate and looked around with mild fascination.

Setting her knife and fork down heavily on the table, making the Doctor turn his attention back to her, she rested her chin on her hands.

“So, you’re telling me.” She began, very sweetly. “That you’ve just gone and set us up to die again and again for the rest of our lives!” With rage she spat the last few words, not caring that they didn’t make sense.

“What, no, of course not.” The Doctor replied feeling almost like he was being accused. “Well, maybe a few times but that’s really unavoidable if you think about. Unless of course we find the trigger for the time loop. Maybe some sort of event or – Donna?”

Donna got up from the table and strode out of the room pushing her way past staff who had stopped to watch.

“Donna?” The Doctor frowned in thought before following and calling after her.

“Donna please just stop and listen for one second!”

He finally caught her already half way up the stairs.

“No, you listen to me Doctor!” She rounded on him with her fists clenched by her side and fury in her voice. “I am not going to die again, alright. I am not going to watch those kids die again either.”

“Well technically you haven’t yet becau-”

“Don’t you dare get all ‘technical’ with me sunshine!” Her voice wavered. “We died. I remember, and not like a dream either, I mean I proper remember it. And I don’t know how I remember it, probably some stupid time travel stuff, but I know that I do not want to go through it again.” Absently she gripped the back of her skull, almost remembering the splitting sensation in the last few moments of her skull being ripped apart.

The Doctor looked at her. Saw how she tried not to shake and keep her voice steady despite the tears she was now bitterly wiping away in an effort to save face. She was angry, furious even, but it was the anger of someone who had experienced something that had shaken them and they had no idea what to do. The Doctor mentally hit himself; he should’ve known she felt like this. After all he felt the same way. And she was only human.

“Donna.” He began very quietly and moved slowly up the step to her, though keeping his distance. “Oh Donna, I am so sorry.”

“Oh shut it You, you right plonker!” Donna’s effort to look tough was then ruined by a pitiful sniffle. “I just really don’t want to go through all that again.” Holding onto the wooden banister tightly Donna took a few deep breaths to compose herself. “I didn’t even think about them; my Mum and Grandad. All I could think about was that I was going to die. How selfish is that? My last few moments on Earth and all I did was think about myself. Typical of me really when I think about it.”

The Doctor just stared back at her not quite sure what to say. What could he say? Sure he had experience in dying and last moments but if he was being brutally honest with himself, his experiences weren’t any different from hers.

“If you want donna.” He moved to her side. “I could drop you off back hom-”

“No! I am not leaving you here to die!” Donna snapped. “Someone’s gotta be around to keep you safe.” But Donna wasn’t certain if she meant safe from himself or other people. “Or from doing something stupid.”

“Well, we can’t just leave either.” The Doctor replied once he got over the initial shock of Donna being so against his suggestion. “Someone is deliberately putting time into this loop for some reason and I intend to find out why and put a stop to it.”

Donna frowned in thought for a moment whilst she connected the dots. “Hang on, so…all this rewinding and stuff, isn’t meant to happen?”

“Exactly. I checked when I went to the TARDIS this morning when I woke up.” The Doctor bopped proudly on his heels with hand in pockets. "Couldn't pin point where all the power was coming from though, there's too much background energy and radiation. And the TARDIS isn't fond of time loops and paradoxes, even at the best of times.

“And to make that tracking thing now instead of waiting until tomorrow so we can get a head start. Hold on, since when do you sleep?” Donna couldn’t actually remember ever seeing The Doctor asleep, or even not running all over the place for that matter. “Don’t you just get all your energy from the time vortex or whatever?”

“I’m not a TARDIS Donna, even someone as brilliant as I am needs to sleep sometimes. And the beds here are very comfortable. I can almost understand why you humans do it so much” The Doctor added another tally to his mental chart of how many times he had to explain this. “But yes you’re right. Did you notice that a few things this morning were off?”

Donna scrunched up her face in thought. “Not really. Why?”

“C’mon Donna. Think, think, think” The Doctor snapped his fingers in time for emphasis as he began to pace up and down the stairs. “Even the tiniest thing. Something small but out of place, gave you strange feeling of déjà vu but wrong.”

“Alright, hold on and let me think!” Donna huffed and began to scour her memories for something without much expectation. “Oh hang on…there was only one set of towels in my bathroom this morning but I could’ve sworn there were two. I mean there normally are in hotels like this.”

“Towels?” The Doctor made a non-commital noise, obviously not what he had hoped for. “Okay, but anything else?”

“The room cleaner.” Donna turned to face him on his second pass up the stairs. “I remember them being this young fellow with a ponytail before, but I also remember them being a middle-aged woman.” Donna frowned hard at the conflicting memories as they both sat in the same place in her mind but conflicted so much. “And, now that I think about it a few other things actually like; where the food was placed at the buffet, and how many people where in the dining room earlier!”

“Yes! Now if the time loop were stable everything would’ve been repeating without anything being different from one loop to the next.” The Doctor clapped his hand. “But things are different each time and aren’t repeating properly which means”

“That the time-loop is unstable!” Donna added, dots already starting to connect in her head. “So does that mean that events and such are also not repeating the same as well?”

“Yes exactly!” The Doctor almost shouted back, feeling the excited energy crackling between the two of them. “But most importantly unstable time loops require a lot of power because you are deliberately pulling back time, almost like an elastic band, and with each loop more power is then needed to pull time back again.”  
“Which explains all that energy and radiation you were going on about yesterday, or before or whatever” With a shake of her head Donna decided that tenses weren’t something that could be quite applied in the given situation. 

“Correctomondo!” His smile vanished for a moment. “Oh, I told myself I wasn’t going to say that ever again, oh well.” And quick as a flash his smile returned. “And the best thing about unstable time loops is that things in each one are never quite the same like in one loop someone may turn left but in another the same person will turn right instead.”

“So the terrorist attack may not happen this time? Actually thinking about it we could find the Mekakushi Dan right now and keep them safe.” Donnas own smile then fell as a thought struck her. “Oh my god. They’ve probably been through this hundreds of times before. How many times have they possibly been killed by that creep?”

“I doubt it Donna.” The Doctors own brow furrowed as well. “We remember because we’re time travellers; the same rules don’t quite apply to us unless the changes directly affect our own timelines in some way.”

“Well, still. We have to go save them and help them!” She turned and headed back down the stairs. “C’mon let’s go!”

“Couldn’t agree more. Allon-sy!”

\---

Shintaro’s scrutinizing gaze hovered from one bag of food to the other. After all choosing the right rabbit food was a very important decision to make. It had to provide all the needed nutrients that a rabbit would so that they had all the energy needed to do the things that rabbits did.

His gaze moved to the store brand food he held in his right hand feeling that, as an adult, he should be careful with his money and choose the economically smart option. He then looked to the high quality rabbit food he held in his left hand which turned out to be not only the smallest option but also, surprisingly enough, the most expensive.

“Remember Master, you owe Tomo the best rabbit food!” Enes voice rang through the earbud.

“I know, I know.” Shintaro mumbled in defeat and returned the packet of food in his right hand.

Earlier that day Shintaro had accidentally knocked over a bottle of soda and it had poured into the bag of rabbit food sitting beside his desk. It was also the reason why the NEET, a creature very seldom seen out in the wilds of society if at all, was even outside at the time.

After hurrying through the horrifying experience of talking to the cashier, with Ene laughing in his ear at his feeble attempts to strike up a conversation followed by him dropping the change given all over the floor which he scrambled to try and pick up, Shintaro stepped out of the store and looked around the recently refurbished shopping centre for his sister and their new friends.

Looking around Shintaro was taken aback by how much the little shopping centre had changed, not for the first time that day, given that he had barely stepped a foot outside in almost two years he supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised. He tried to ignore the welling feeling of sadness at how easily the world forgot him by concentrating on how much cleaner the white tiles of the floor looked. It didn’t work.

“Big Brother!” Momo called from off to his right waving her hand at him. “Over here.”

Looking over he saw the others with her; Hibiya and Hiyori. Shintaro and Momo had met the two younger kids earlier that day and had spent much of it just hanging out. However, there were two adults sitting on the metal benches with them too; a man with spiky brown hair and a woman with red hair, who also waved at him in a friendly enough manner. 

Making his way over Shintaro had the fleeting sensation that he knew the two adults from somewhere. He rubbed his eyes and the feeling was gone.

“Big brother, come meet our new friends.” Momo smiled as she introduced him to the adults.

They gave him their names, or rather Donna gave hers and the Doctor gave his occupation, and he returned his. He kept getting weird looks off the pair of them. Nothing major though but just side long glances, especially from Donna, filled with something that Shintaro couldn’t quite figure out. Maybe it was sadness, but it looked more like pity.

Brushing it off as just him suffering from sun stroke or something, he really wasn’t suited for the outside world, Shintaro sat down on the bench opposite thankful for the chance to rest and take refuge from the sun burning its way through the glass skylights above.

“I was just telling them about all there is to do in the big city.” Hiyori sat to the right of the Doctor and lazily brushed away the dirt that wasn’t there. “Like the best places to eat, the best places to see, the best places to shop.”

“I don’t know how you keep track of so many.” Hibiya piped up next to her, earning himself a dismissive glance from Hiyori. Shintaro pitied the love sick kid. “I never thought there could even be so many things in one place.”

“Well, that’s because you’re just a country bumbkin.” She flipped her black hair into place, and Hibiya shrunk slightly in response.

“I really wanted to go visit the big shopping centre around here.” The Doctor piped up. “y’know the one with the theme park on top of it. Maybe it has a roller coaster with loop-de-loops.”

“I wanna go too master!” Eni’s voice blasted into Shintaros ears making him flinch. “I want to try all the rides!”

Donna frowned at him. “You feeling alight? Look as if someone just hit you or something.”

“Just Ene being as loud as ever I take it?” Momo let out a small laugh beside him.

“Who’s Ene?” Donna asked like she was repeating a line from a movie. “is she a friend of yours?”

Shintaro shared a small glance with his sister, a secret exchange that translated to a silent agreement. “Yeah, she’s an online friend of mine I met playing a game a while ago.”

“And yet after all my training you still haven’t gotten any better.” Ene’s voice rang loud and clear after Shintaro disconnected his headphones.

“I think the avatar she uses is so cute.” Momo added. “She and Shintaro talk all the time, it’s wonder I can get any sleep at night.”

The Doctor and Donna shared their own little glance with each other. It was different this time.

“Well it’s nice to meet you Ene.” The Doctor smiled, almost sadly.

“Nice to meet you too.” Ene bobbed contently on the screen in her blue jumper. “How many rides do you think you could handle though, old man?”

“Well I’d imagine I could handle a few more than you could.” The Doctor grinned and lent forward.

“Well with the way you drive the Tardis it’s like a roller coaster in its own right!” Donna scoffed beside him.

“Oi, it’s not my fault. Besides she likes it rough anyway.” The Doctor then directed a dark look at Shintaro who had struggled to stifle a laugh. “Oi, enough of that. There are young kids here.” He pointed at Hiyori and Hibiya who simply looked very perplexed.

“What’s a Tardis?” Hibiya asked.

“Idiot, it’s what he calls his car.” Hiyori shot down the poor kid once again. “Don’t you know anything?”

The group spent some time at the Shopping centre just chatting away with the conversation flittering from one subject to the next. Eventually of course they all moved on with Momo and Hiyori adamant on showing the Doctor and Donna all the best places to go. Over the course of the day the pair acted like tour guides to the two British Tourists and Hibiya, who hadn’t been to the big city before either, pointing out the best places to go and the best places to get new clothes and where the best food was served. A few stories were shared between them all as well whenever Shintaro grew faint and had to sit down for a moment.

“Trust me, you’ll feel a lot better if you drank water instead of fizzy drinks all the time.” Donna stood beside him with an exasperated look watching him down another bottle of Doctor Pepper from the vending machine.

“Master’s been drinking nothing by Doctor Pepper for almost a year now.” Ene looked on from Momos phone. “I honestly doubt his body actually knows how to process water anymore. Or actual food for that matter.”

“Speaking of food.” The Doctor sauntered up to them and nodded towards a large clock on the side of a building. “I think it’s about lunch time. Got any places you two would recommend?” He looked to Momo and Hiyori.

“Depends on what you’d like to eat.” Hiyori stuck her nose in the air and finger on chin in a way she thought made her look very thoughtful and intelligent. “If you’re after just any old much we could grab something from the shop over there. But if you want the best food I know an amazing sushi restaurant just a few streets down.”  
“Oh, I know that one.” Momo smiled and rubbed her stomach. “They do the most amazing ramen noodle soup I’ve ever had.”

Hiyori almost died of delight right there just knowing that her favourite teen idol had been to the same place she had. Maybe she had even sat in the same seat as well!

“Guess it’s decided then. The Doctor grinned and threw his best foot forward. “Allon-sy”

“It’s the other way old man!” Ene shouted.

\---

Despite being late and the lights overhead had long since taken over the job of the sun the air was still stiflingly hot. The group walked up the empty street and laughed over the days events and chatted away merrily towards a bus top up ahead. The Doctor grinned and cackled at the photos the group had taken in the booth; some showing all of them shoehorned into the small box that admittedly he and Donna had taken up most of and pulling silly faces, others showed just one or two of them with some of the booths filters overlaid, and finally a few nice ones of them all smiling.

“Oh Donna look at this one, this one’s a keeper right here.” He taunted Donna with the picture. “I think it’s not a bad look for you actually.”  
It was him and her both cross-eyed sticking out their bottom teeth stuck out and noses pushed upward. Donna scoffed almost angrily and rolled her eyes.

“Absolutely charming, you see what I have to put up with?” Donna jabbed a thumb at him whilst readjusting the shopping bag on her shoulder.

“Utterly terrible.” Momo threw back her hair and half closed her eyes jokingly acting like a very snobbish person. “Looks like you have your work cut out.”

“You’re telling me.”

Upon reaching the bus stop the group began to say their goodbyes. Momo and Shintaro were heading back home somewhere further up, Hirori and Hibiya were having to head back the way they came saying that they were staying at Hiyoris relatives house, and Donna and The Doctor were going to catch the bus to their Hotel. 

“Mind if I hang onto this one?” The Doctor handed Momo the pictures but kept hold of the one of him and Donna pulling faces, and he smiled happily. “My eyes look amazing in it.”

Before heading off Momo gave Hiyori her number and Hibiya a little bit of advice. The young boy turned scarlet while a knowing gaze passed between Momo, Donna, and The Doctor. The way he had been acting all day had suggested he had a crush on Hiyori and it was pretty safe to say that whatever he had been looking at for some time in one of the shops he had bought for her. Shintaro was clueless though still with very little in the way of people skills.

“Ah, young love.” The doctor sighed once everyone had left.

“Yeah, hopefully he’ll grow some sense though or at least she won’t be such a little brat.” Donna did not like Hiyori. “I mean honestly; I swear she must just be using the poor boy to carry everything for her and be her punching bag.”

“They’re kids Donna.” He turned to check when their bus was due to arrive. “They’re all like that to begin with, especially you humans. But they’ll grow up and mature. Hiyori will stop treating people like items and Hibiya will learn when to move on.” The Doctor paused and his voice became very quiet for a moment. “Kids are good at learning things. It’s one of the first things you learn as a parent.”

“But anyway!” The Doctor bounced right back with a spin on his heel. “We’ve got about 10 minutes or so until the bus arrives.”

The two made it back to the hotel in decent time but given how late it was, Donna was certain that it had gone past midnight by now, the hotel corridors were empty and quite save for a few noises coming from the rooms they passed by.

“Night Doctor.” Donna was about to slip into her room, fully intent on going straight to bed, when she heard the Doctor draw a breath in through his teeth. “You okay there Doctor?”

The Stared down as his fingers with one hand also on the handle to his room. He frowned, hard in thought.

“Not entirely sure actually, just felt a weird feeling.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked around. “Got goose bumps all down my neck that’s…very odd.”

Donna raised an eyebrow. “Goose bumps? Really doctor?” She sighed and went into her room feeling too tired for anything right now. “I’m going to bed, don’t wake me if something happens.” She closed the door behind her and got ready for bed.

Climbing into the lovely soft, fresh duvet Donna wrapped herself up in it to fully enjoy the lavender scent. She checked the clock on her bedside table and somewhat satisfied to see she had been correct in thinking it was now eighteen past midnight on August 15th.


End file.
